UPDATE - EU will accept all refugees from Ukraine, says German foreign minister

UPDATES WITH MORE COMMENTS FROM GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER, ADDS BACKGROUND

BERLIN (AA) - European countries will accept all refugees fleeing Russia’s war on Ukraine, Germany’s foreign minister said on Monday.

Speaking at a news conference in Berlin, Annalena Baerbock slammed Russian President Vladimir Putin for ordering the military assault, and said the European Union will provide military assistance and humanitarian aid for Ukraine.

“Today is the fifth day of Putin’s war against Ukrainians, against innocent people in the country,” she said, adding that hundreds of thousands of people have fled their homes, and millions of Ukrainians are in fear for their lives.

“We as the European Union, as a union of values, we stand with the Ukrainian people. We are going to take all the refugees,” she said.

More than 500,000 Ukrainians have so far fled Ukraine and crossed into neighboring countries, according to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR).

Asked about recent calls on the EU to grant Ukraine immediate membership, Baerbock said they will continue to support strengthening ties between the bloc and Ukraine, but ruled out a fast-track membership.

“The European Union has always said we are a house with open doors. Ukraine is part of the house of Europe,” she added.

“As the president of the European Commission said yesterday, an accession into the EU cannot be done within a couple of months. It is a deep and comprehensive transformation process,” she said.

Since Russia's war on Ukraine began last Thursday, it has been met by outrage from the international community, with the EU, UK, and US implementing a range of economic sanctions on Moscow.

“Ukraine says more than 350 civilians have been killed and over 1,600 injured during attacks by Russian forces.